


New Year’s Eve

by SparklingDarkAngel



Category: The Grinch (2018)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Gen, Past Neglect, fear of fireworks, touch starved
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-09-26 07:30:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17137598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SparklingDarkAngel/pseuds/SparklingDarkAngel
Summary: Christmas isn’t the only holiday the Grinch hates. Two new friends show up at his door to help him get through New Year’s Eve.





	New Year’s Eve

BANG. 

The whole cave felt like it was shaking with the force of that last firework. The Grinch huddled in on himself, hoping he could fold himself so tightly he’d disappear. His head was pressed into his knees, and his fingers tightly grabbed at the hair on his scalp. It had been like this every New Year’s Eve for as long as he could remember. It started out in the orphanage when the caretakers left the Grinch all alone on that night the sky caught fire. The explosions rocked the unsteady building as he shivered in terror alone, always alone. 

Max nudged at his side and whined before settling next to him. The dog’s warmth gave him some comfort, but not even Max could calm the swirling storm of terror inside him. Another explosion shook the cave, and the Grinch’s hands tightened into fists in his hair. His scalp hurt, but he hardly felt it. 

It had been a week since his attempt to steal Christmas, and now he was starting to think he had gone after the wrong holiday. Of course Christmastime stung like that night in the orphanage when he learned that he was truly alone, no one was coming for him, and no one would ever love him. But the New Year was terrifying on a whole new level. In the orphanage, the Grinch was certain that the building would explode and he would die a painful, fiery death. 

Bricklebaum had invited him to his big New Year’s party, but the Grinch had to decline. He knew once the fireworks started he would fly into a panic attack. Alone in his cave it was miserable, but out in the crowd where he would just disappear unseen as he tried not to remember a childhood of neglect would be infinitely worse. At least in his cave he was choosing to be alone. 

A gentle knock broke through the Grinch’s panicked thoughts. He looked up, eyes wide, and turned to Max. “Who would be knocking now?”

There weren’t many people brave enough to approach the Grinch in his own cave. The only ones to have done it so far were the Lou Whos and Bricklebaum. Since Bricklebaum was supposed to be at his party, it was more likely to be Donna or the little girl Cindy. 

Another firework cracked through the air. The Grinch whimpered as he used the bed frame to pick himself up off the floor. His legs shook as he pushed himself forward step by step. Max remained pressed against his side to keep him steady. The walk to the door wasn’t long, but it seemed to take forever. All he wanted to do was run back to his corner and cower, but there was no way he was going to risk what he had going with the Lou Whos by being rude and ignoring them. He just needed to pull himself together. 

As he pulled back the door, he forced a smile. On the other side stood Donna Lou Who, plate of cookies in hand with her daughter Cindy at her side. “Happy New Year’s Eve, Mister Grinch!” the lovely Who greeted with a smile. “Bricklebaum told us that you were missing his party, so Cindy and I thought we’d bring you some homemade sugar cookies.”

While the cookies looked delicious, the Grinch’s stomach knotted at the thought of trying to eat anything now. Still, he didn’t want to be rude. He tensed the muscles in his hand as he reached for the plate, but as soon as he grasped it, another firework went off. The Grinch jumped, and the plate fell from his grip and shattered against the floor. 

“I’m sorry,” he squeaked out. His whole body trembled as he shuffled backwards. They were staring at him, and there was nowhere to escape to. He messed up, and now they were going to hate him. His breaths became shallower. He squeezed his eyes shut to stop the spinning and viciously wrung his hands. 

A warm touch on his elbow brought him out of his panicked haze. The little Who girl looked up at him, concern filling her wide eyes. “You’re afraid of fireworks,” she realized. “Is that why you wouldn’t come down?”

The Grinch nodded in affirmation. His plan had been to hide away, but that wasn’t working very well anymore. Cindy took his hand and led him towards his couch. He sat, Donna and Cindy on either side of him, and buried his head, mortified. “When I used to get scared of the fireworks, Mom would sing to me. All the other noise would just fade away,” Cindy said. 

“That sounds nice,” the Grinch replied with a wistful look at Donna. “You’re lucky to have a mom as great as she is.”

“What about your mom?” Cindy asked. 

“Cindy!” Donna chastised. 

“No, it’s alright,” the Grinch assured them. “I... I’m supposed to be more open, aren’t I?” His only response was Max nuzzling his leg with his wet nose, a sign of encouragement. “I don’t have a mom.”

A beat of silence followed. Donna rested her hand on the Grinch’s shoulder and squeezed gently. Cindy looked up at him, puzzled. “How can you just not have a mom?” she asked. 

“Well, I must have had one at some point, but I don’t know what happened to her,” he clarified. “No one does. At least that’s what the caretakers at the orphanage told me.”

“The orphanage? Oh god,” Donna gasped. “That old, run-down building that no one’s set foot inside in ages? That’s where you grew up?”

The Grinch nodded and swallowed heavily. Images of the desolate shelter seeped into his conscious thoughts. It was every bit as lonely as it looked. “The caretakers never actually cared. They would leave me alone on New Year’s Eve. I thought the place would explode for sure.”

Suddenly, Cindy leapt up and wrapped her arms around the Grinch’s neck. He shivered under her touch, and something inside him ached. Carefully, he returned the child’s embrace. Physical affection was new to him. He had never been touched, let alone hugged, at the orphanage, and nothing changed after running away. 

Another firework went off, and the Grinch clung tighter to Cindy. The girl squeaked in surprise, and he quickly let her go. “Sorry,” he muttered. “I never, uh... I’ve never had this before. I’m damaged, I suppose.”

It was Donna’s turn to wrap her arms around him fiercely. “You’re not damaged,” she insisted. “It’s not your fault you never received love as a child, but things are different now. You have us.”

He had a long ways to go before he truly understood that. After all, no one had noticed him until he lashed out in a huge way. Well, that wasn’t exactly true. Bricklebaum had always tried to be a friend, but he could never accept it. Life had taught him that he didn’t get friends. It was Cindy’s purest heart that taught him otherwise. 

Donna held him tighter when he whimpered as another firework went off. “We’ll stay with you tonight,” she decided. “You’ve been alone for too long. You don’t have to be anymore.”

The Grinch sighed as Donna, Cindy, and Max cuddled into him. More explosions rang through the air, but for once he felt safe. It wasn’t going to be the start of another hopeless year. It was the start of his new life.


End file.
